Expedition Instructor. What do I need?

[formercadet1029]

Wow, this thread is a freaking riot.  > > >

Having been on both sides of the fence with this one, I can certainly understand this young chap's question, and, of course all of the answers too.

Joining instructions have been around for decades, they are effective and work over & over, which is their purpose.

If you need anything, you will be asked to bring it in all the paper you will receive before going on course.

You can expect that on an intense course like this, you will be issued everything you're going to need outside of the list in your joining instructions. Now saying that, my advice is to bring along twice as much underwear/socks that they may suggest in your joining instructions, the rest is irrelevant in my opinion because you're only concern everyday of the course is to successfully get all of your POs, without getting hurt or RTU'd in the meantime.

Good luck and have a great summer!!!! Back in the mid '80s there was an incarnation of this course called "wilderness leadership", it was run out of CFB Petawawa. Anyway, I was on that course in '85 and had a great experience. It will be what you make of it, so enjoy your time there.

 

[matt1995]

thanks!!

 

[57Chevy]

You might want to put "Cadet expedition kit list" in your search engine.
It should give you a whole lot of PDF files to look at.

or

You could check here:      Youth Expeditions Kit List
http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/expert-advice/expedition-kit-list-youth

Hope this helps and have a great summer.
Keep safe.

 

[matt1995]

thanks, super helpful !  :nod:

 

[Loachman]

Back in the mid '80s there was an incarnation of this course called "wilderness leadership", it was run out of CFB Petawawa. Anyway, I was on that course in '85 and had a great experience.

Derail...

I was frequently flying the Kiowa doing the daily checks on you guys during your canoe trip.

I also took two CIL (as they were known then) officers for the pre-course recces a couple of times.

One of those chaps was the worst airbarfing case that I ever saw. He filled two bags, a beret, and a pocket or two. Do not stuff your stomach with chilli and pickles before going for a lengthy helicopter flight involving a lot of tight turns. The result does not smell very pleasant at all. He was in the back, and it was so bad even in the front seat, with the doors off, that I was almost puking in sympathy.

 

[formercadet1029]

Derail...

I was frequently flying the Kiowa doing the daily checks on you guys during your canoe trip.

I also took two CIL (as they were known then) officers for the pre-course recces a couple of times.

One of those chaps was the worst airbarfing case that I ever saw. He filled two bags, a beret, and a pocket or two. Do not stuff your stomach with chilli and pickles before going for a lengthy helicopter flight involving a lot of tight turns. The result does not smell very pleasant at all. He was in the back, and it was so bad even in the front seat, with the doors off, that I was almost puking in sympathy.

My mistake, it was in '86, not '85. We did several 1-3 day canoe trips that summer, most were local to the Petawawa/Algonquin area, but we did do a 10 day 200k trip (the "demoine river" in Quebec, not sure of spelling).

Most of our staff were pretty capable/compitent people, but we did have one Officer Cadet that was booted off though, interesting story. I first met this guy after I got of the bus when I arrived for the course. He took one look at my shoulder flashes and capbadge and asked if knew someone he had attended the CF Europe thing in Germany when he was a cadet. I knew who he was talking about and thought to myself, ok at least I might have an in here this summer with somebody, lol. Anyway, a few days later we were on a 1 day canoe trip inside of CFB Petawawa and the entire course had landed on a beach for lunch. This fellow decided he was going to canoe out after he ate, explore the river a bit. He came back to the beach site with some type of missile he found somewhere along shoreline, the tail end with the fins/rocket was actually sticking up in the air out of the front of his canoe. If I recall correctly, two of our Airborne SSF staff assigned to the course that summer immediately went over there and removed him from the canoe by his head, until the MPs showed up. Needless to say, we never saw the guy again. At this point in my cadet career, I was almost 16 years old, and had seen many of those little films over the years about not to mess with stuff like this if you came upon it. You know, the ones that show some kids coming across a up a para-flare and blasting themselves in the face with it, etc. Perhaps this guy was busy the day they showed the film that summerl?

 

[Loachman]

My mistake, it was in '86, not '85. We did several 1-3 day canoe trips that summer, most were local to the Petawawa/Algonquin area, but we did do a 10 day 200k trip (the "demoine river" in Quebec, not sure of spelling).

I had gone to Germany by that time - early July.

Dumoine, I think.

 

[formercadet1029]

Dumoine, I think.

Yup, you called it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dumoine_River What trip that was, some nutty white water. Can remember prior to that trip, we would all stop at the top of a rapid run, carefully plot our course out before we went down. By the end of the Dumoine trip, the guy in the bow would just stand up and look as we were going down, lol.

 

[Loachman]

I loved seeing canoes wrapped around rocks and bodies floating downstream. Those were fun flights.

 

[formercadet1029]

I loved seeing canoes wrapped around rocks and bodies floating downstream. Those were fun flights.

There was one specific lengthy portage that we decided to put in midstream (to avoid humping it through the bush), in the middle what would be at least a level IV rapid. In the middle of the rapid, down at the bottom of a somewhat treacherous chute, there was a green canoe (exactly like those we were paddling in) wrapped around a large boulder. The canoe still had the remnants up near a gunnel of our course designation on it. Our patrol officer told us it had been there for at least a year because he said it was there on his pre-course prior to us arriving, when they did the same trip. You basically could only pass on the one side of this boulder as you were flying down this chute or you were going to be in for it. As we went down this part of the river, this was the only time I think that summer I had any real sense that I may have been in a situation where I had little control. Looking back up river on it, we all agreed that it was foolish to put in there, we should had just stayed on the trail. Things always seem clearer in hindsight I guess.

It's my understanding that the latest incarnation of this course has eliminated much of the dangerous whitewater portions of their canoe experience. While the gung-ho part of me thinks that is a complete drag, the other part (that currently has a son enrolled in the army cadet program) is somewhat relieved that this is something I might not have to worry about when my son takes this course. Don't get me wrong, my whitewater experience that summer on WLC and then the next summer on Leadership & Challenge out in Banff was something that I will never forget. But, sometimes common sense needs to prevail and things need to be looked at a little closer when planning the course training syllabus for these types of courses. When I was in Banff the next year, a girl in my platoon lost her leg as a result of a super freak accident that occurred during our Glacier Expedition in Rogers Pass. BTW, please don't worry too much about what happened to this girl, she grew up and is in the CIC as a Capt., she's pretty remarkable.  :nod: :nod: :nod: :nod:

 

[ztb97]

Just in case anyone wanted some more info, I did the course during the summer and like stated before, bring everything stated on the kit list. But from my experience these following things would really benifit you:
1. Bring Foot Powder You won't believe how much this can benifit you. We were usually in combat boots all the time, and on our 50km march we did, foot powder was our savor from blisters. Trust me on that, it will be your best friend, so bring as much as possible with you (2 bottles can work)
2. Shoe polish and Polish applicator You obv need shoe polish to bring with you for your parade boots, but I recommend you bring a few extra tins for your combat boots. You will chew through a lot of polish on those boots cause they will always be dirty. Trust me when I say this the polish applicator is an important thing to bring. You can buy it yes but when everyone else on Expedition Instructor needs one, you having one just might save the day.
3. Baby Whipes You may not be babysitting babies during the course, but when in the woods, they are the best thing for toliet paper (we called them one whipe wonders for a reason) and cleaning yourself up.
4.Water Bag It doesnt matter the brand, but having one for out in the woods in great. It's a lot easier then taking your bottle out every couple of minutes to have a sip of water, and the canteens can be for spare. At the end of the day, it's not needed, but highly recommended
5.Blister Banades/Gun Tape/ Duck Tape Yes they have the bandades it in the first aid kits, but they will usually be wet during every portion of the expedition.......having your own and having it waterproofed will make you day better when dealing with blisters(you will have LOTS, learn how to treat them)
6. Pt Shoes The Cadet ones are just downright bad. Buy some nice sneakers from Walmart cause doing Morning PT wearing what feels like boxes on your feet just sucks(and vibrams don't count for pt shoes OR watershoes unless you like sore feet and plenty of blisters)
7.Belt Your cadet belt will save your combats from falling to you ankles. No pants can fit perfect.
8.Green t-shirts Once you have enough get more. Label them to cause they will get mixed up with someone else
9.Dry Bag ( 50 litre ) They will supply one for the canoeing and kyacking but having your own for the training and hiking portion would help A LOt. Laugh at everyone who has wet clothes when you're dry (don't actually but just bath in your glory quietly)
10.Baggies and misquito repellent Baggies will be good for waterproffing the small things and for the repellent, bring dryer sheets and ( I can't remember how to spell it) musquoil. Dryer sheets (the bounce ones) can repell misquitos if you just have them on you in your clothes.

If I forgot anything please add some!!

 

[X Royal]

You do realize that you responded to a post that was last active almost 3 years ago?

 

[Nfld Sapper]

 

[PMedMoe]

Necropost, yes.  This is what caught my eye:

and on our 50km march we did

I hope that's a typo.....

 

[ztb97]

Hey I checked post last year guys so you never know who is looking! And I am not! It was over the span of I think 5 days. Best hike of my life

 

[RedcapCrusader]

Necropost, yes.  This is what caught my eye:



I hope that's a typo.....

Not necessarily. When I was a cadet we trekked the Juan de Fuca Trail which is 47km (not accounting for elevation).

 

[dangerboy]

Of course it does help that it is clarified that the 50 km was over the span of 5 days, not in one shot.

 

[ztb97]

Very true. but neither the less, it was hard for kids, but like the other guy said, the elevation was the worst part (hills and stuff). Nothing like rolling down a hill with a ruck on

 

[PMedMoe]

Of course it does help that it is clarified that the 50 km was over the span of 5 days, not in one shot.

Yes, that certainly makes more sense now.  :nod:

 

[Burrows]

We spend so much time asking people to use the search function that I think we should acknowledge the value added to this instead of having someone create a new topic.

Thanks for adding to our resources.